helix23 wrote:It says on their website that your email address changing to lowercase is part of the admissions process. But it's like a JS1 in that it is a necessary but not sufficient condition for acceptance. 600 people will have their font size change. But only 400 of those will ultimately be admitted.

Ok so i know this is not the appropriate place to post, but I couldn't find a related thread and I thought you guys might have good advice - how do you withdraw from a school after you've been accepted? Are you supposed to just send them an email? it just seems a little tactless to me.. I mean i'm sure schools don't actually care since they have plenty of great applicants, but I still feel bad because after allthey did take the time to go over my app and offer me money.. Thoughts? Thanks in advance & sorry for interrupting the lowercase/uppercase email conundrum

actium31 wrote:Ok so i know this is not the appropriate place to post, but I couldn't find a related thread and I thought you guys might have good advice - how do you withdraw from a school after you've been accepted? Are you supposed to just send them an email? it just seems a little tactless to me.. I mean i'm sure schools don't actually care since they have plenty of great applicants, but I still feel bad because after allthey did take the time to go over my app and offer me money.. Thoughts? Thanks in advance & sorry for interrupting the lowercase/uppercase email conundrum

When you get the packet that has the statement of intent to register form, you send it back the box checked "decline." Or you send the admissions an email. Unless the school is Yale, they are used to them.

What are people's thoughts on the benefit of visiting the campus for those of us still waiting for news? I'm going to be about 3hrs away from Palo Alto in mid-march, and I was wondering if it would be worth making the trip to go tour the school and (hopefully) meet with admissions.

RSterling wrote:What are people's thoughts on the benefit of visiting the campus for those of us still waiting for news? I'm going to be about 3hrs away from Palo Alto in mid-march, and I was wondering if it would be worth making the trip to go tour the school and (hopefully) meet with admissions.

If you have the time, there is no big down-side to visiting. All it will cost you is time and money.

The up-side is that you will have a better feel for the campus, a better understanding of the school, and therefore will be better prepared should you not be able to attend ASW and have to make a decision on whether or not to attend should you be accepted. I was able to visit last summer and am really glad I did; I still plan on attending ASW but recognize that it's okay if I can't since I have been before.

RSterling wrote:What are people's thoughts on the benefit of visiting the campus for those of us still waiting for news? I'm going to be about 3hrs away from Palo Alto in mid-march, and I was wondering if it would be worth making the trip to go tour the school and (hopefully) meet with admissions.

If you have the time, there is no big down-side to visiting. All it will cost you is time and money.

The up-side is that you will have a better feel for the campus, a better understanding of the school, and therefore will be better prepared should you not be able to attend ASW and have to make a decision on whether or not to attend should you be accepted. I was able to visit last summer and am really glad I did; I still plan on attending ASW but recognize that it's okay if I can't since I have been before.

With where I'm currently standing, a stanford acceptance would basically end my cycle. I'm mostly asking because in the past I thought I saw someone who visited and then received an acceptance phone call within a couple days. Is this something that actually happens?

spicyyoda17 wrote:If you have the time, there is no big down-side to visiting. All it will cost you is time and money.

The up-side is that you will have a better feel for the campus, a better understanding of the school, and therefore will be better prepared should you not be able to attend ASW and have to make a decision on whether or not to attend should you be accepted. I was able to visit last summer and am really glad I did; I still plan on attending ASW but recognize that it's okay if I can't since I have been before.

I think this is the important part. From what I've read, visiting wont bump you up with numbers that would be out of consideration anyway. (assuming the goal of the visit was to up chances of admission)

spicyyoda17 wrote:If you have the time, there is no big down-side to visiting. All it will cost you is time and money.

The up-side is that you will have a better feel for the campus, a better understanding of the school, and therefore will be better prepared should you not be able to attend ASW and have to make a decision on whether or not to attend should you be accepted. I was able to visit last summer and am really glad I did; I still plan on attending ASW but recognize that it's okay if I can't since I have been before.

I think this is the important part. From what I've read, visiting wont bump you up with numbers that would be out of consideration anyway. (assuming the goal of the visit was to up chances of admission)

IMHO, a campus visit would only provide a YP boost... shows that you are serious about the school and thus more likely to accept an offer, but I doubt it would move you into an admit pile from anything other than a "deciding between these two people" pile

actium31 wrote:Ok so i know this is not the appropriate place to post, but I couldn't find a related thread and I thought you guys might have good advice - how do you withdraw from a school after you've been accepted? Are you supposed to just send them an email? it just seems a little tactless to me.. I mean i'm sure schools don't actually care since they have plenty of great applicants, but I still feel bad because after allthey did take the time to go over my app and offer me money.. Thoughts? Thanks in advance & sorry for interrupting the lowercase/uppercase email conundrum

When you get the packet that has the statement of intent to register form, you send it back the box checked "decline." Or you send the admissions an email. Unless the school is Yale, they are used to them.

Well except only one of the packets I received (out of 9) so far has a form - do you have any idea how late they usually send out the forms? i guess i'll go for the email though, it seems more fair than just waiting around. Thanks!

actium31 wrote:Ok so i know this is not the appropriate place to post, but I couldn't find a related thread and I thought you guys might have good advice - how do you withdraw from a school after you've been accepted? Are you supposed to just send them an email? it just seems a little tactless to me.. I mean i'm sure schools don't actually care since they have plenty of great applicants, but I still feel bad because after allthey did take the time to go over my app and offer me money.. Thoughts? Thanks in advance & sorry for interrupting the lowercase/uppercase email conundrum

When you get the packet that has the statement of intent to register form, you send it back the box checked "decline." Or you send the admissions an email. Unless the school is Yale, they are used to them.

Well except only one of the packets I received (out of 9) so far has a form - do you have any idea how late they usually send out the forms? i guess i'll go for the email though, it seems more fair than just waiting around. Thanks!

I emailed a short "please withdraw my application" to all the schools I hadn't heard from (which was all but one). The one acceptance I had, I emailed them a copy of an official withdrawal form they had sent me -- I figured they deserved at least that for accepting me

actium31 wrote:Ok so i know this is not the appropriate place to post, but I couldn't find a related thread and I thought you guys might have good advice - how do you withdraw from a school after you've been accepted? Are you supposed to just send them an email? it just seems a little tactless to me.. I mean i'm sure schools don't actually care since they have plenty of great applicants, but I still feel bad because after allthey did take the time to go over my app and offer me money.. Thoughts? Thanks in advance & sorry for interrupting the lowercase/uppercase email conundrum

When you get the packet that has the statement of intent to register form, you send it back the box checked "decline." Or you send the admissions an email. Unless the school is Yale, they are used to them.

Well except only one of the packets I received (out of 9) so far has a form - do you have any idea how late they usually send out the forms? i guess i'll go for the email though, it seems more fair than just waiting around. Thanks!

I've withdrawn from three schools so far- one that I hadn't heard back from, and two that I had been accepted to. For all three schools, I sent an email thanking them for their time, effort, and consideration and then notified them that I have been accepted to another school that I feel is a better fit for me so I would like to withdraw my app (or decline my acceptance). All three school got back to me within a day confirming that they had processed my request.

Is there any plus to sending in a "Why Stanford" now, or should I wait to to see if I'm waitlisted/held? Stanford is my top choice right now because I love Northern California and it's definitely where I want to live and work.

HankBashir wrote:Is there any plus to sending in a "Why Stanford" now, or should I wait to to see if I'm waitlisted/held? Stanford is my top choice right now because I love Northern California and it's definitely where I want to live and work.

I'm unsure on whether there's any benefit to sending a "Why Stanford," but I wanted to point out that your reason for wanting to go to Stanford (being in Northern California), is probably not going to impress. For example, if you want to live and work in Northern California, why not be content going to Berkeley? Or University of San Francisco? If a "Why Stanford" letter is going to have any chance of making an impact, I think, it has got to list reasons that are very specific to Stanford itself, and not its location or reputation.

HankBashir wrote:Is there any plus to sending in a "Why Stanford" now, or should I wait to to see if I'm waitlisted/held? Stanford is my top choice right now because I love Northern California and it's definitely where I want to live and work.

I'm unsure on whether there's any benefit to sending a "Why Stanford," but I wanted to point out that your reason for wanting to go to Stanford (being in Northern California), is probably not going to impress. For example, if you want to live and work in Northern California, why not be content going to Berkeley? Or University of San Francisco? If a "Why Stanford" letter is going to have any chance of making an impact, I think, it has got to list reasons that are very specific to Stanford itself, and not its location or reputation.

Oh, I agree. I guess I could've written more on my reasoning, but I didn't want to write the entire letter here, haha. There are definitely school specific reasons why Stanford over Berkeley.

HankBashir wrote:Is there any plus to sending in a "Why Stanford" now, or should I wait to to see if I'm waitlisted/held? Stanford is my top choice right now because I love Northern California and it's definitely where I want to live and work.

I'm unsure on whether there's any benefit to sending a "Why Stanford," but I wanted to point out that your reason for wanting to go to Stanford (being in Northern California), is probably not going to impress. For example, if you want to live and work in Northern California, why not be content going to Berkeley? Or University of San Francisco? If a "Why Stanford" letter is going to have any chance of making an impact, I think, it has got to list reasons that are very specific to Stanford itself, and not its location or reputation.

Oh, I agree. I guess I could've written more on my reasoning, but I didn't want to write the entire letter here, haha. There are definitely school specific reasons why Stanford over Berkeley.

I really don't think a Why Stanford is going to be helpful. Everyone knows Why Stanford. If there is some specific program or center there that focuses on a key passion of yours, it should've been in your PS. Anything else would be an annoyance - I'm pretty sure the school knows why you want to go there - it's the same reason everyone wants to go there.

HankBashir wrote:Is there any plus to sending in a "Why Stanford" now, or should I wait to to see if I'm waitlisted/held? Stanford is my top choice right now because I love Northern California and it's definitely where I want to live and work.

I'm unsure on whether there's any benefit to sending a "Why Stanford," but I wanted to point out that your reason for wanting to go to Stanford (being in Northern California), is probably not going to impress. For example, if you want to live and work in Northern California, why not be content going to Berkeley? Or University of San Francisco? If a "Why Stanford" letter is going to have any chance of making an impact, I think, it has got to list reasons that are very specific to Stanford itself, and not its location or reputation.

Oh, I agree. I guess I could've written more on my reasoning, but I didn't want to write the entire letter here, haha. There are definitely school specific reasons why Stanford over Berkeley.

The A's are going to be moved to San Jose once the monied interests have their way and you want to be closer to the team. That's all Stanford needs to hear.

HankBashir wrote:Is there any plus to sending in a "Why Stanford" now, or should I wait to to see if I'm waitlisted/held? Stanford is my top choice right now because I love Northern California and it's definitely where I want to live and work.

I'm unsure on whether there's any benefit to sending a "Why Stanford," but I wanted to point out that your reason for wanting to go to Stanford (being in Northern California), is probably not going to impress. For example, if you want to live and work in Northern California, why not be content going to Berkeley? Or University of San Francisco? If a "Why Stanford" letter is going to have any chance of making an impact, I think, it has got to list reasons that are very specific to Stanford itself, and not its location or reputation.

Oh, I agree. I guess I could've written more on my reasoning, but I didn't want to write the entire letter here, haha. There are definitely school specific reasons why Stanford over Berkeley.

I really don't think a Why Stanford is going to be helpful. Everyone knows Why Stanford. If there is some specific program or center there that focuses on a key passion of yours, it should've been in your PS. Anything else would be an annoyance - I'm pretty sure the school knows why you want to go there - it's the same reason everyone wants to go there.

what if you are someone who has no ties to the west coast? do you think there is an advantage in writing a why stanford then?

Oh my God Stanford hurry up...I have something potentially very promising for housing at another school, but I still haven't heard from SLS. I applied mid October (3.9X/171) and am assuming that I'm just waiting to get my ding at this point. It just feels weird to secure housing before I know everything (I'm not a gamblin' woman).

Eichörnchen wrote:Oh my God Stanford hurry up...I have something potentially very promising for housing at another school, but I still haven't heard from SLS. I applied mid October (3.9X/171) and am assuming that I'm just waiting to get my ding at this point. It just feels weird to secure housing before I know everything (I'm not a gamblin' woman).